Here is Maggie Gallagher trying to communicate to social conservatives about the reality of the information war, citizen action and political power — it’s an important article that needs to be read in its entirety:
As social conservatives, our problem is not that we lack arguments. Yes, the best scientific evidence suggest transgenderism is a real phenomenon, a form of mental misattribution not unlike others (which is why for some men it seems as natural to decide it feels better to identify as a dragon woman), but that doesn’t mean we should allow biological males to use the women’s locker room. We know ordinary people do not support this stuff. That is not our problem.
Our problem is a problem of power: Where does it come from and can we get some? Let us face up to exactly where we are today: Call it “Maggie’s Five Big Truths about Why Social Conservatives Lose.”
Here are the first three of Maggie’s “Big Truths”:
1) The Left controls the narrative, and they do not care about truth or fairness to dissenters — only “social justice.”
2) Crony capitalism is fueling sexual liberalism.
3) No corporation is afraid of what the Republican party might do to it.
Here is number 4 with some of what she wrote about it:
4) Social conservatives aren’t doing politics.
Before I explain what I mean, let me ask you to answer a simple question: What is the national organization that fights for religious-liberty protections by spending money in federal elections? Currently, there is none. There are many good nonprofits who issue voter guides or get pastors together. There are public-interest law firms galore. These are all good things to have — but there is a hole in the center of our movement. Social conservatives can’t get much out of politics because we aren’t in politics.
How big is the hole? For my own amusement, I tried to figure out how much money social conservatives (excluding pro-life groups) spent in national elections in 2014 compared to what they spend on 501(c)3 and other nonprofit strategies. I looked for every organization I could find that has marriage or religious liberty in its mission statement and then compared it with election expenditures by either c(4)s or political-action committees (PACs). Then I asked around to major social-conservative donors I know to see if I had overlooked any major organization.
How big is the hole in the center of our movement?
In 2014 pro-family social conservatives invested $251,633,730 in tax-deductible 501(c)3 efforts (excluding pro-life efforts).
How much was spent on direct political engagement, counting both state and federal organizations? $2,484,359.
That 100-to-one ratio of doing politics by indirect versus direct means explains a lot about the relative powerlessness of social conservatism.
Social conservatives can’t get much out of politics because we aren’t in politics. We just talk like we are on television, when the Left allows us to get on television. Meanwhile, we don’t build political institutions that matter.
Social conservatives need to think like a minority and organize politically to protect our interests.
Read more: National Review
Image credit: Tami Jackson Photography.
